Starter for hydrocarbon-engines.



APPLICATION FILED JAN.26,1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. F. KELLY.

STARTER FOR HYDROGARBON ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1912.

1,072,385 Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'H cnuwAsmNuToN. D. t.

JOHN F. KELLY,

OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

STARTER FOR HYDROCARBON-ENGINES.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. KELLY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starters for Hydrocarbon-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved -form of starting device for multi-cylinder internal combustion engines adapted to permit the operator to start the engine at will without resorting to cranking; to provide a device of this kind, which is of compact form and adapted to be connected up as a unitary structure for convenient attachment to the engine of a motor driven vehicle; to provide in devices of this class an improved construction whereby the distribution of the starting fluid to the arious cylinders of the engine is controlled by cams so arranged relative to each othe as to open communication with the cylinders in succession, and in the same order in which such cylinders commence their expansion strokes, and to provide a device 01"? this kind which is capable of starting the engine regardless of whether or not it has stopped on dead center.

An illustrative construction embodying this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a starting device constructed as a unit and adapted for connection with the crankshaft of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine for use as a starting device for such engine. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same, the storage reservoir being omitted tor the sake of more clearly illustrating the ar-;

raugement of the valves, the line A A indicating the plane on which the section is taken. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the valve mechanism, the section being taken atright-angles to the plane of Fig. l. and being indicated by the line B B of Fig. 1. Fig. t is a sectional elevation of a gas engine cylinder and the air pump illustrating diagrami'naticall'y their relative arrangement and connection with the engine piston being shown on dead center position.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 26, 1912.

Patented Sept. f5, 1 913.

sci-mi No. 673.680.

in the construction shown in the drawings there is provided a pressure reservoir I having a blow-otl' valve 2 which acts as a sat ety valve and limits the pressure of the charge in the reservoir. An air compressor 3 is connected with the reservoir '1 by means of a pipe t having a check valve The cylinder oil the compressor 3 is mounted upon a base (3 in which is journaled a sha'lt 7 having a crank 8 arranged to operate the piston t) of the compressor through a pitman .10. and having also a series of cams 111. Also mounted on the base (3 is a series of valve "asings '12, each having therein a balanced piston valve 13 normally urged by a spring let to a closed position, and provided with an operating stem 15 arranged to be actuated by one of the cams 1.1. A supply pipe or maniiiold 1t) comn'u'lnicates with each oi the valve casings 12,and is also connected to the resm- I. The connection to the reservoir is controlled by a valve 17 connected by suitable linkage with a trcadle 18 conveniently located with respect to the operators seat. A spring 19 normally urges the valve 17 to a closed position,and tholinkagcis such that pressure on the trcadle l8 opens the alve. The valve casings and cams l'l correspond in number with the cylinders ol the engine (not shown), to which the device is connected, and each oi. the valve casings 12 has a pipe 20 leading from it to the respective cylinder of the engine. These pipes serve as inlet pipes tor the engine during starting. Each of the pipes 20 has a check valve 21 to prevent the backward flow of gas "from the engine to the valves 13. The (aim-shatt- 7 connected to the engine by mechanisn'i so geared and timed as to cause the valves 13 to open in harmony with the movements of the engine pistons; that is to say. in a IiiOHP-(t v't'lt. engine the shaft 7 would rotate at half the speed of the crank-shaft oi? the engine, and would be so connected that the opening ot the valves 1?) would correspond in order with the comuienccmcnt oi the expansion strokes ol the respective engine pistons. Each cam 11 may be of such form as to keep the alve 13 open throughout the greater part of the length of the expansion stroke of the piston ot the respective engine cylinder. It the the valve 22 and allows the reservoir pressure to shift the piston 9 enough to throw the engine off dead center if it has stopped in that posit-ion.

The operation of the device shown is as follows: In the particular construction shown it is intended that the compressor will operate whenever the engine runs, and as the 7 running period is long as compared with the intervals during which the starting mechanism is required, the compressor cylinder may be of small capacity as compared with that of the individual engine cylinders. The capacity of the reservoir 1 should, however, be sutiiciently large to provide a charge of ample volume to start the engine whenever called upon to do so. In starting, one cylinder after another is charged with air until one or more of the pistons makes its normal suction and compression strokes as in the 'normal running of the engine, whereupon i nition will take place and will continue to run under its own power. During'the normal running of the engine the compressor 3 at each stroke forces a small quantity of air into the reservoir 1, and as soon as the pressure in said reservoir has reached the predetermined maximum for which the blow.- off valve is set, this blow-01f valve will operate to prevent the pressure from exceeding said maximum, but will also 1 revent it from falling below. V hen the engine is at rest the operator may start it by pressing his foot upon the treadle 18. This opens the valve 17 and admits air to the manifold 16. The valves 13 then distribute the compressed air to the cylinders, as described, tostart the engine. If the engine is on dead center, and does not start on pressing the treadle 18, it may be thrown off of dead center by pressing the treadle 2 1. The pressing of the treadle 24 opens the valve 23 and permits the compressed air to enter the pump chamber 8 and force the piston 9 downwardly, which causes the engine pistonto be moved off its dead center position. As the engine piston is shifted from its dead center position, the cam 11 opens the respective valve 12, so as to'admit air from the reservoir into the cylinder, and thereby continue the initial movement of the engine piston.

The maximum pressure for which the blow-off valve 2 is set, should be a pressure somewhat greater than that to which the fuel and air are compressed in the engine cylinders previous to ignition, so that the inflow of air for starting the engine wlll be capable of overcoming the pressure of the residuary charge which may happen to be present in a cylinder which stopped during the compression stroke of its piston.

Since. the valves 13 are open only during expansion strokes of the respective engine pistons, the pressure in the engine cylinders during normal operation of the engine will during the combustion of the charges in the cylinders exceed the pressure of the reservoir 1, and, therefore, even thoughv the valves 13 open and the valve 17 maybe held open, no air will be admitted to the engine cylinders from the reservoir since the check valves 21 would be held closed by the pressure of the gas in the engine cylinders. For this reason the starting of the engine requires no action or attention on the part of the operator further than to push down the treadle 18 and to hold it depressed until the engine is running at normal speed.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim V 1. A starting device for internal combustion engines, comprising a storage reservoir, mechanism adapted to distribute air from said reservoir to said engine for starting. the same, an air cylinder connected to said reservoir, a piston mounted in said cylinder and connected to the shaft of said engine, means for delivering air from said reservoir to said cylinder whereby said piston may be operated for shifting the engine 01f dead center, and means adapted to control the operation of said mechanism so as to cause the introduction of air into the cylinder of said engine as the engine is shifted off dead center.

2. A starting device for multi-cylinder internal combustion engines comprising a storage reservoir, means actuated by the engine for charging said reservoir, a feed pipe connected to said reservoir, a plurality of valves corresponding in number to thecylinders of the engine, and each connected with said feed pipe, inlet pipes connecting said valves individually with the respective cylinders of the engine, mechanism adapted to open said valves individually and in succes sion to correspond with the movements of the pistons of the respective cylinders of the engine, a valve controlling said feed pipe, a check valve interposed between said charging means and reservoir, and a valved bypass around said check valve for the purpose specified.

3. A starting device for multi-cylinder internal combustion engines comprising a storage reservoir, an air compressor actuated by the engine for charging said reservoir mechanism ada ted to distribute air Si 'ned at Ghiezwe this 23rd (hr of Janfrom said reservoir to the various cylinders uary 1912.

of the engine for star-tin the same and means for delivering air ram said reservoir JOHN KELLY to said compressor whereby the latter may Witnesses:

be operated as a motor for shifting the en- E. A. RUMMLER, gine shaft off of dead center.

EDWIN PHELPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

